Mahdieh Esfandiari, a 39-year-old Iranian citizen who has been living in Lyon, France since 2018, was announced by her family in March 2025, Iranian Judicial Mizan News Agency announced in a report.
After a long period without news from her, Esfandiari’s family notified Iranian authorities and the process of following up on the status of this Iranian citizen began at that time.
Esfandiari is a translator and a graduate of the University of Lyon, and disappeared in early March 2025.
After diplomatic efforts, it is revealed that Esfandiari has been arrested by French police, but details of the incident and the charges against her remained unknown.
Finally, French publication Le Point reported on April 12 that French authorities had broken a month’s silence and provided information about the fate of this Iranian citizen.
According to Mizan, Shahin Hazami, an independent Palestinian journalist and supporter, wrote on social media accounts that Madie Esfandiari was arrested after publishing a message on a telegraph channel denounced Gaza’s ongoing genocide.
He describes Esfandiari’s arrest as a worrying tipping point, speaking out about current crimes in Gaza and showing an intensifying oppression against those who condemn the Palestinian massacre.
MNA